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Hay fever
Hay fever is usually worse between late March and September, especially when it's warm, humid and windy. This is when the pollen count is at its highest.
Check if you have hay fever
Symptoms of hay fever include:
sneezing and coughing
a runny or blocked nose
itchy, red or watery eyes
itchy throat, mouth, nose and ears
loss of smell
pain around your temples and forehead
headache
earache
feeling tired
If you have asthma, you might also:
have a tight feeling in your chest
be short of breath
wheeze and cough
Hay fever will last for weeks or months, unlike a cold, which usually goes away after 1 to 2 weeks.
How to treat hay fever yourself
There's currently no cure for hay fever and you cannot prevent it.
But you can do things to ease your symptoms when the pollen count is high.
Do
put Vaseline around your nostrils to trap pollen
wear wraparound sunglasses to stop pollen getting into your eyes
shower and change your clothes after you have been outside to wash pollen off
stay indoors whenever possible
keep windows and doors shut as much as possible
vacuum regularly and dust with a damp cloth
buy a pollen filter for the air vents in your car and a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter
Don’t
do not cut grass or walk on grass
do not spend too much time outside
do not keep fresh flowers in the house
do not smoke or be around smoke – it makes your symptoms worse
do not dry clothes outside – they can catch pollen
do not let pets into the house if possible – they can carry pollen indoors
Get more tips on managing hay fever from Allergy UK
A pharmacist can help with hay fever
Speak to your pharmacist if you have hay fever.
They can give advice and suggest the best treatments, like antihistamine drops, tablets or nasal sprays to help with:
itchy and watery eyes and sneezing
a blocked nose
Call a pharmacy or contact them online before going in person. You can get medicines delivered or ask someone to collect them.
Find a pharmacy
Non-urgent advice:
See a GP if:
your symptoms are getting worse
your symptoms do not improve after taking medicines from the pharmacy
Information:
Coronavirus (COVID-19) update: how to contact a GP
It's still important to get help from a GP if you need it. To contact your GP surgery:
visit their website
use the NHS App
call them
Find out about using the NHS during COVID-19
Treatments for hay fever from a GP
Your GP might prescribe a steroid treatment, such as a steroid nasal spray.
If steroids and other hay fever treatments do not work, your GP may refer you for immunotherapy.
This means you'll be given small amounts of pollen as an injection or tablet to slowly build up your immunity to pollen.
This kind of treatment usually starts in the winter about 3 months before the hay fever season begins.
Immunotherapy is a specialist service that may not be available everywhere.
What causes hay fever
Hay fever is an allergic reaction to pollen, typically when it comes into contact with your mouth, nose, eyes and throat. Pollen is a fine powder from plants.
Check the pollen forecast on the Met Office website
Video: hay fever advice
In this video, an expert explains how hay fever is diagnosed, as well as the symptoms and treatment.
Play Video
Media last reviewed: 21 April 2020
Media review due: 21 April 2023
Page last reviewed: 04 February 2021
Next review due: 04 February 2024
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